Printing machine



Feb. 9, 1937. c. J. HUEBER Q 2,070,549

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, less 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 l2. I l 7o 17/ I76 L L-s L6 L? I INVENTOR. F 4 2 I I BY A gri rfz alu/ 1 I ATTORNEY.

J. HUEBER mumme MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1936 5 Sheet ..'s 2

H m/C:

REF? chmscunyi mp gag/J? flz MENTOR.

ORNEY.

Feb. 9, 1937. c. J. HUEBER PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IWENTOR.

00 226, Mud r @Mlu ATTORNEY.

C. J. HUEBER PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb 5, 1936 Feb. 9, 1937. 2,010,549

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. BY $4M ATTORNEYJ Feb, 9, 1937.

c. J. HUEYEER PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, .1936

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES OFFICE PRINTING MACHINE tigraph Corporation, poration of Delaware Cleveland, Ohio, a cor- Application February 5, 1936, Serial No. 62,416

19 Claims.

This invention relates to a printing machine and specifically to that type of printing machine which is well adapted to make an impression or impressions consecutively from each of a series of printing members, such as, for instance, a machine for printing addresses on envelopes, cards, payroll lists, etc.

Heretofore, many such printing mechanisms have been utilized. These, however, may be classified into two general classeshand-operated machines and power-operated machines. In the past, the machines of each of these classes have had specific advantages, as distinguished from the machines of the other class.

The hand-operated machines have been comparatively small and have been manufactured to sell at comparatively low cost to the user. This, of course, has provided a machine for general ofilce use where ordinarily the expense of larger machines was unwarranted. On the other hand, the power-operated machines have been comparatively large and more or less cumbersome. Their cost to the user has been great in comparison to the cost of the hand-operated machines. However, these larger and more expensive machines have had advantages over the hand-operated machines. Such as their ability to operate at a much higher rate of speed, thereby greatly increasing the output over that of the hand-operated machines.

The present invention, as distinguished from the two types of machines just mentioned, combines the advantages of both the manually operated machines and the power machines without the disadvantages inherent in either of them.

Many difiiculties have been encountered in the attempt to produce an inexpensive, compact, ower-operated machine, and such attempts have repeatedly resulted in simply another larger and expensive machine. Several things have beenfound especially difficult, such as for instance, the provision of duplicators and mechanisms which would enable the operator to skip any printing device as it passed through the printing mechanism. The controls of many such mechanisms have, in the past, resulted in more or less large and cumbersome units. Other difficulties have been encountered in the construction of platen supporting mechanisms, as one of the demands on power printing mechanisms of this type is that it accommodates paper or forms of comparatively large size.

Another difiiculty encountered has been the provision of suitable driving mechanism. In see-es P n n w a th e t 1 as addr p nt-- ing machines, there is generally provided a printing member feed mechanism, and a platenoperating mechanism, together with a suitable inking mechanism such as, for instance, an inking ribbon feeding mechanism. Obviously, it is desirable that these various mechanisms be driven from a single source of power or motor, to enable consecutive single impressions, duplicate impressions from consecutive printing devices, or repeated impressions from the same printing device, as well as to so arrange the drive mechanism as to enable the operator to feed a printing member without making an impressiontherefrom. This has required, in the past, cumbersome synchronized driving and control mechanisms having the disadvantages above set forth.

A more specific object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a small, compact and inexpensive power-operated printing machine, adapted for many types of work, and which will overcome the difiiculties above mentioned, and at the same time perform the various operations set forth, in such a manner as to be conveniently operated by comparatively unskilled help.

An important feature of the present invention is the provision of a common operating shaft, together, with a platen which may be selectively connected or disconnected from the shaft; a printing member feeding mechanism, which likewise may be selectively connected or disconnected from such power shaft; and wherein such feeding and platen mechanism may be operated either independent of each other or in timed relationship to each other.

Other objects of my invention will become more apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. The novel features of the invention will be more fully set forth in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved printing machine; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the lines 33 of Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5, 6 and '7 are vertical longitudinal sections, as indicated by the correspondingly numbered lines on Figs. 2 and 3; Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical transverse sections as indicated by the lines 8-8 and 99 respectively on Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 10 is a sectional detail plan of the section being indicated by the lines Ill-l0 on Fig. 3; Fig. 11 is a detail section as indicated by the lines l l! I on Fig. 8.

The machine illustrated in the drawings preferably comprises a hollow rectangular casting or 8, and 9. Such a device is more fully shown and described in many prior patents, issued to. my

assignee, Addressograph Company, for instance, Patents Nos. 1,929,472 and 1,812,894. such a device, designated at 26, in the drawings, comprises a sheet-metal frame member 2|,

having along its opposite sides, downwardly extending ribs22, and supporting on its upper face a printing member 23. preferably comprises a metallic plate bearing embossed printing characters, generally indi cated at 24. I The frame is also provided with a card 25 arranged to receivedata regarding the subject matter carried by the printing plate or other information to be conveyed to the operator. Suitable index tabs 26are arranged tobe removably securedrin any of various positions extending from the rearmo'st edge of the 'plate as indicated in Fig. 2, and described more in detail in such prior patents as Patent No. 1,807,954,

issued to my assignee, Addressograph Company, June 2nd, 1931. V While the particularm'achine shown in the drawings has been designed to cooperate with I a printing device such as above described, it

should be understood that the invention is not limited to. use with such specific form of printing device; but may be readily adapted for many different forms;

As shownin the drawings, and especially in Figs. 2 and 5; the printing devices 26 are stacked manually or otherwise, one above the other, in amagazine 21 supported by the frame l6, and drop in such magazineby gravity, as the botj tommost plate is fed out of the magazine.

. As shown in Figs} 1, 2, 5, and 9, the magazine 21 comprises a pair of upwardly extending hollow arms 30-, secured in a vertical position on, the frame In and provided withchannel-like members 3|, arranged to face each other. The width of the channels and their spacings enable them to freely receivethe printingdevices, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The upper edges of the channel members3l, however, are preferably inclined outwardly, as shown in Figs. 5 and 9, to facilitate the insertionof the devices. This magazine is directly over the guideway l6, in which operates the feeding mechanism, about to be presently described, 7 H h v n the guideway I6 between the magazine 21 and the forward. front end l2 of the frame I6, is secured an anvil 35,,Which stands substantially beneath the platen and is adapted to support the printing. device during the printing operation. Bleciprqcably operable in the guideway I6 is a feed slidefor transferring the bottommost printingdevice 26 from the magazine 21 onto the anvil 35, tudinally extending bars occupying the guideway l6. These bars are arranged to ride on 7 suitable rollers 42, secured to the frame members top edges of the bars. The printing member 1 This slide comprises a pair of longiengage the ends of such portions of the bottom- 7 by reason of a pair of spring-pressed pawls 46 on the slide engaging the end of such device. These pawl's are preferably mounted on the bars 40 by reason of partially circular portions of the pawls V engaging correspondingly shaped recesses in the Suitable compression springs, 48 act to push the front end-of the dogs upwardly.

The right-hand movement of the slide bars 40, besides moving the bottommost printing device from the magazine and moving the intermediate printing dewlce onto the anvil, also causes another pair of pawls 41 to engage a printing device 20b on the anvil, and shove it off the anvil into a position indicated by the device 260, in Fig. 5. This printing device 26c, during-the right-hand movement of the feed bars 46, is shoved off of the supporting rib 49 of the guideway I6, whereuponit drops by gravity into a receiving magazine 28. I

During the feeding stroke, above described, the

printing devices are supported by the longitudi nally extending ribs 49 formed on the upper surface of the guideway I6. On the return or left-hand stroke of the feed bars 40, the frictional contact between theprinting devices 26 and their supporting ribs 46 retains the devices in the position indicated in Fig. 5. r

The reciprocating slide 46 is operated by an electric motor 50, which may have the usual series resistance 56a. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 6, the motor is mounted on suitable rods or bolts 5| carried by'suitable frame brackets 52. It will be noted that this motor is entirely within the confines of the walls of the frame ID. The arma ture shaft 53 of the motor 50 extends substan tially parallel with the guideway l6 and extends into a housing 54, formed integral with the motor housing, and is there provided with a worm' 55,

arranged to mesh with a worm wheel 56. A suitable driving pinion 51 is drivingly secured to the worm wheel and, in turn, meshes with a gear 58, r

' carried by a shaft 59, extending through'and 3 depending members |8.

The printing device feed slide 40 is operated from the power shaft 66, under control of a clutch 6|, hereinafter to be described more in detail. As shown in Fig. 5, the driving member 63 of the clutch 6| is formed eccentrically to the shaft 6 and is embraced by one end of a connecting rod 64, the other end of which is pivotally connected as at-65 to a lever 66 intermediate the ends thereof. One end of the lever 66 is pivotally mounted'on a shaft 61, carried by suitable frame bosses 68. The other end of the lever 66 is connected by a link 69, with a yoke I0, the arms ll of which are pivotally secured to respective slide bars 40, as indicated at 12 in Figs. 3

III

and 5. Thus, for each revolution of the clutch member 63 the printing device feed bars move from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 to the broken line position and return to the full line position, and as the shaft makes one revolution for each revolution of the clutch member 63, one complete cycle of operation of the feed bars is made for each revolution of the power shaft 60.

I find that while the friction between the printing devices and their supporting rails 49 is sufficient to prevent movement of the devices when their feed bars 49 move on the return stroke, such friction is insufficient to prevent an overthrow of the device at the end of its forward or right-hand movement. Therefore, I provide a mechanism or stop to prevent the overthrow of the printing device in the position indicated at 28b, in Fig. 5.

The stop is best illustrated in Figs. 8 and 11, and as there shown comprises a plunger H2, mounted for vertical reciprocation in the anvil 35. The head of this plunger is provided with a shoulder II I (Figs. 3 and 11), which, when the plunger is in its uppermost position, (indicated in Fig. 11) is projected into the path of the printing device 281), and stops its forward movement. As the printing device has practically no sideway movement in the guideway I5, the plunger may be located at one side of the guideway without danger of skewing the printing device.

The plunger I I2 is reciprocated into and out of the path of the printing devices by a cam H3, carried by the driving member of the clutch 6|. This cam is embraced by a yoke I III, in which the stem H5 of the plunger is slidably mounted. A suitable compression spring I l I coacting with an abutment I IE on the stem of the plunger and with a suitable washer II I encircling the shaft and bearing against the anvil 35, serves to normally maintain the plunger H2 in its lowermost position, out of the path of the printing devices. The cam I I3, being operated by the clutch 6 I, operates in timed relationship with the printing device feed bars 40. This relationship is such that as the feed bars start forward, the plunger is depressed and remains depressed until the rear edge of the printing device which was in the position indicated by the printing device 20b is beyond or forward of the plunger, whereupon the plunger rises to stop the next succeeding device which is being moved into the printing position.

Immediately after a printing device has been brought to rest in the position indicated by the device 20b on Fig. 5, a roller platen I5 is caused to engage the work which has been placed on the table I I above the printing device 2012 by the operator and, cause an impression to be made.

As illustrated in the drawings, and especially in Figs. 4, 5, and 8, the platen I5 is supported by brackets or arms I5 which extend forwardly from the magazine members 30, respectively, and are spaced from the surface I I of the frame.

As illustrated, the platen is carried by a carriage I8 which rolls along a guideway 11, carried by the brackets I6, and, consequent upon the platen carriage I8 reaching the forward end of its stroke, (the right-hand end in Fig. 5), the roller platen member I5 moves downwardly from the position indicated in Fig. 5 to the position indicated at Fig. 4, and is retained in such position to apply printing pressure to the work or paper superimposed above the printing device 2112), whereupon the platen, I5, together with its carriage I8, is moved rearwardly toward the left in Fig. 5 a distance sumcient to cause the platen to traverse the printing plate 23 of such device. Thereupon, the platen roller I5 is raised out of contact with the work, and further rearward movement of the platen carriage is then permitted without effective action by the platen.

The platen illustrated in the drawings is operated from the main drive shaft 50. As indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, I provide the power shaft with a second clutch 8B, which is provided with an eccentric driving member 8|, adapted to be embraced by a connecting rod 82, which in turn is pivotally connected, as at 83, with an arm 84 pivoted to a rod 85, carried by suitable frame members. The upper end of the arm 84, as shown in Fig. 5, is connected by a link 8'5, with the platen carriage I8. The arrangement is such that for each complete rotation of the shaft 69, the

platen carriage, together with the platen 15, will be moved from the position indicated at Fig. 5 to that indicated in Fig. 4, and returned to the position indicated in Fig. 5.

The specific form of platen mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forms the subject matter of my co-pending application for Letters Patent, filed February 12, 1936, and assigned Serial No. 63,575 by the Patent Ofiice. Briefly, this platen mechanism comprises, as heretofore mentioned, a carriage I8, which is slidably mounted on guideways or rails II, supported by the brackets IS, in such a manner that the platen carriage lies therebetween.

Mounted in the carriage I8 are a pair of shafts 98 and 9i, which support a toggle mechanism comprising the two pairs of links 92 and 93, the

former links being pivotally connected to the shaft Gil-and to the links 93, and the latter links being pivotally connected, as illustrated in Fig. 8, to a suitable shaft 94, which rotatably supports the platen I5. A third pair of links 96 are pivotally connected between the platen shaft 94 and the shaft 9! heretofore mentioned. A suitable spring 9! supported by the latter shaft, which is retained stationary relative to the carriage I8, acts to maintain the linkage and the platen in the position shown in Fig. 5. However, when the platen carriage approaches its right-hand limit (Fig. 5) a roller 98, carried by the pivotal connection 99 between the links 92 and 93, engages an abutment I85 formed adjacent the forward edge of the brackets I5 and prevents subsequent movement of the pivot 99, whereupon continued forward movement of the carriage causes the links 92 and 93 to assume the positions shown in Fig. 4, in which posit-ions the links are retained as is obvious from the drawings, by the wellknown toggle-locking action.

Following the positioning of the toggle mechanism and platen, as shown in Fig. 4, the platen carriage is drawn toward the rear, causing the platen I5 to be roled across the printing device 291). When the platen reaches the end of the printing plate 24 carried by such printing device, the roller 99 is engaged by a stop IIlI, adjustably supported on one of the bracket members I6, whereupon the continued left-hand movement of the platen carriage causes the toggle to be broken permitting the spring 97 to return the parts to their normal positions, indicated in Fig. 5.

As several lines of printing characters may extend transversely across a printing device, it might sometimes be desirable to print only the first line, or, the first two lines, to the exclusion of the remaining lines. This may be accomplished by adjusting the stop IGI relative to the bracket and securing it in an adjusted position by a suitable setscrew I02. Hence, the point at which the toggle is released may be readilycontrolled by the operator. After the toggle isreleased, the platen carriage may readily pass further to 'the left to complete its stroke by reason of a recessed portion I03 formed in the stop member, as indicated in Fig. 8, and through which the roller 98 passes when the platen is in its raised or normal position.

'It is occasionally desirable that supplemental subject matter, common to all printing devices, be impressed on the work simultaneously with the impression made from the printing devices. To this end I provide a manually removable printing member I04, which is arranged to seat in a suitable recess to the left of the printing device 251), as indicated'in Figs. 3 and 8. The platen I5 is likewise provided with a roller extension I05,

adapted to engage the work simultaneously with the engagement of the printing device 202) by the platen 75.

In the machine illustrated in the'drawings, I have shown he impression as being made through the medium of an inking ribbon II8. As

shown in Fig. 3, the ends of this ribbon are secured to ribbon spools I20 and I2I, respectively, which are mounted on substantially parallel shafts I22 and I23, respectively. These shafts are journalled in the frame at opposite sides of the guideway I6, and extend in a direction normal thereto. The ribbon II8 passes from one spool, as, for instance, the spool I20 forwardly across a turning plate or bar I24, and thence across the printing device, in the position indicated by the device 20b on Fig. 5, to a similar turning plate or bar I25, and thence to the ribbon spool I2I.

The ribbon I I8 is preferably permanently attachedto one of these spools andremovably secured to the other spool, as for instance, in the manner described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 28,508, and filed June 26th, 1935, and

assigned to my assignee, .-Addressograph Com pany.

The ribbon H8 is periodically fed in one direction until it is completely unwound from one spool; The directionof feeding is then automatically changed and'the ribbon rewound on that spool. As shown in Figs. 3 ande, the shafts I22 and I23 have secured thereto respective ratohets 27 and I28. Between the ratchet wheels is located a suitableratchet driving mechanism, generally indicated at I25, and which has a pair of ratchet pawls I29 cooperating with respective ratchet wheels and one or the other of them acting at any time. Such driving mechanism may be of the type shown for instance in Patent No. 997,615, granted to the American Multigraph Company, and in that case, whenever the ribbon becomes entirely unwound from one spool to which it is attached,.its resistance causes the shifting of the drive mechanism so as to operate the other spool to wind the ribbon in a reverse direction.

'In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, and especially with reference to Figs. 3, 4, and 9, I have shown the ratchet driving mechanism 425 as operated by a pitman I32 which is pivotally connected as at I33 to one member I3I of the ratchet driving mechanism I25. The other end of the pitman I32 encircles an eccentric I35, which is drivingly secured to the power shaft 60. Hence, for each rotation'of the power shaft, the ribbon willbe fed onestep.

My improved'printing machine is arranged to print consecutively, that is, to make an impression from a printingdevice, advance. the next printing device to printing position, make an impression on it, advance the next printing device to printing position, and so on. Likewise, my machine is arranged to make repeated impressions of the same printing device, or to advance a printing device through the printing position without making an impression therefrom, in other words, to skip a printing device. Manually operable controls are provided to enable the operator to cause the mechanism to perform selectively or operate in any one of the desired man-' ners.

As heretofore mentioned, the printing device feed mechanism and the platen operating mecha-v nism are both operated by the power shaft 60 and under the control of clutches GI and 80,.re-"

spectively, and the power shaft 60 is driven from a transmission shaft 59. The transmission shaft and the power shaft are in substantial alignment with each other, and are drivingly connected to operate as aunit by'an' Oldham coupling I40,

one member of which is secured to the shaft 59,

and the other member I4I of which is arranged to drive s. clutch member I42 in the usual manner.

driven member, which either is pinned to the power shaft 60, as in case of the clutches SI and.

80, or is driven by the friction clutch, as the, clutch I 45, together with a driving member 63, 8| and I46, which respectively serve to operate the printing device feed mechanism, the platen mechanism andto drive the power shaft 60.. r

The connection between the driven and driving members of the clutches in each instance comprises a pawl I48, which is pivoted to the driving member of its respective clutch and is provided with a projection I49, which normally maintained out of coacting recess I50, formedin the driven member of its respective clutches by suitable springs I36, which rock respective clutch levers I5I, I52 and I53, (Figs. 5, 6, and 7) about their pivot,

The clutch member I42 has secured thereto" suitable friction drivingdiscs, the mates to which and cause projections I of such levers tofengage suitable lugs I55 on their respective clutch coacting clutch recess, thereby forming a driv ing connection between the driven and driving members of such clutch. These various clutch levers operate by suitably manually operable keys about to be described. 7

To cause the printing mechanism to function to make one impression from each successive printing device on consecutive cycles of operation of the mechanism, the main clutch I45, together with the plate feeding clutch GI and the platen operating clutch 80 each functions simultaneously to drive, respectively, the power shaft B0,.the plate feeding mechanism and the platen operating. mechanism.

As illustrated in the drawings, I have pro-' vided three control keys I'IE, III, and I12, respectively, which are marked repeat consecutive and skip in theorder named. These keys ,are carried by respective bell cranks I13,

I14 and H5, which are journalled on a common shaft H6, secured to the frame adjacent its forward wall I2, the arrangement being such that the forward, or key-supporting arm of each bell crank projects through a suitable opening in the forward wall of the frame, permitting the key to be conveniently located for use by the operator.

The arrangement of the keys is best illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and as there shown it will be noted that the middle key or consecutive key MI is provided with overhanging lips I11 at either side thereof, which are arranged to engage underlying lips I18 of the keys I10 and I12, respectively, so that consequent upon the depression of the key I1I, all three keys will be depressed.

When the operator depresses the key HI and maintains it depressed to cause the-machine to make one impression from each of a series of successively advanced printing devices, all three keys are depressed. This causes, first, the clutch operating levers II, I52 and I53 to be rocked clockwise (Figs. 5, 6, and '1) against the action of the springs I36, whereupon the pawls I48 are drawn into engagement with their respective clutches by suitable springs (not shown) and remain in contact until the key I1I is released by the operator.

The consecutive key I1I operates to cause the clutches 60, 86, and I45 to become operative in the following manner: The depression of the consecutive key I1I depresses the key I16 as heretofore explained, and causes a link I61 pivotally connected between the key lever I13 and the clutch lever I53, to rock the clutch lever I53 about its pivot, whereupon the main clutch I 45 becomes active to clutch the shaft 59 to the power shaft 60. Such depression of the key I16 also causes a link I6I, interconnected between the key lever I13 and the clutch lever I52 to rock the last-named lever clockwise about its pivot, thereby rendering the clutch 8| active to cause the platen to transverse the printing device in the position indicated by the device 2% of Fig. 5.

The depression of the key I1I also, as heretofore described, causes the depression of the key I12. This through a link I63, interconnected between a lever I54 and the key lever I15, rocks the lever I64 and the shaft I54 to which the lever is secured. The rocking of the shaft causes a pin I65 (Figs. 3 and 5) to engage a clutchlike formation or jaw I66 formed on the hub of the lever I5I, swinging the latter clutch lever in a clockwise direction, thereby rendering the clutch 6i active to cause the feeding of a printing device.

If the lever I1I is retained depressed by the operator, the respective clutches BI, 80, and I45 will continue to function, until the key is released. When the key is released the clutch levers I5I, I52, and I 53 are returned to their normal positions, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and '1, by their respective springs I36 and likewise the lever I64 is likewise turned by a similar spring I31 (Fig. 3). Such springs also cause the key levers to return to their normal position consequent upon the release of the keys. s

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the operator may cause an impression to be made of one printing device at a time, by merely releasingthe key immediately after its depression, in which instance the clutches will bereleased for active operation, but their clutch levers I5I, I52 and I53 will immediately return w their normal positions and will reengage their respective clutch pawls, thereby disengaging their respective clutches, when the mechanism has completed one completed cycle of operation. This procedure may be repeated as desired.

The depression of the key I16 by the operator, causes repeated impressions to be made from the same printing device, namely, the device in the position indicated at 2% in Fig. 5. The depression of this key causes the main driving clutch Hi5 and the platen controlling clutch 80 to become active, but does not affect the printing device feed clutch 6%. As heretofore mentioned, the depression of the key I16 does not affect the keys H! or' I12, but through the links IBI and i531 renders the main clutch I 45 and platen operating clutch 85 active. The depression of the key E16, by the operator, therefore releases for operation only the driving clutch and the platen operating clutch. Hence, the platen will continue to function in repeated cycles without feeding printing devices until the key is released.

The depression of the key I12 causes the mechanism to function to feed the printing devices without making an impression therefroml For this purpose the key I12 is connected to operate the main clutch I45 and the printing device feeding clutch 6| to the exclusion of the platen clutch 80. The depression of the key I12 operates to cause the printing device feed clutch to become active, as heretofore described. It is to be noted, however, that this is accomplished by rocking the shaft I54, which supports the clutch levers I 5! I52 and i53. This movement is communicated to the clutch lever I53, which controls the main clutch.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, the shaft I54 is provided with a pin I86, which is arranged to engage a clutch or jaw formation lBI on the hub of the clutch lever I53, causing such lever to be rocked clockwise, whereupon its clutch I45 becomes active. Thus it will be seen that the depression of the key I12 causes both the main clutch I45 and the printing device feed clutch 6| to become operative. As long as this key is retained depressed, the mechanism will function to progress the printing devices without making impressions therefrom. Each of the links Ifil, I63, I61, and I93 have lost motion connections with their respective clutch operating levers and hence operation of the levers will not affect the links.

The skip key and its associated mechanism is especially advantageous, as it is sometimes desirable that impressions be made from only certain printing devices in the magazine, or vice versa. In such instances, one set of devices, as, for instance, those which are to be skipped, may be provided with tabs 26, (Figs. 1 and 5) having special characteristics, for instance, special colors, or located in special positions on the printing devices.

To enable the selection of specific printing devices by the operator, I provide a mirror I85 (Fig. 5), which is secured to the magazine 21 in such a manner that it will serve to reflect to the operator the image of tabs on the printing device in the position indicated by the device marked 20a of Fig. 5. Thus the operator, in a.

conveniently seated position before the machine,

may readily ascertain Whether or not an impression is to be made from the next printing device to be fed, and operate the keys accordingly.

I have so arranged the timing of the various operations that, in each cycle of operation, the

printing devices are first fed and then an impression made from the device in printing position. In other words, the feed takes place before the platen becomes active.

As heretofore'mentioned, it is highly desirable in a series printing machine that duplicate impressions may. be obtainable from each printing device. I therefore provide a mechanism which may be selectively engaged and, when engaged, will cause two impressions to be made from each successively fed printing device consequent upon the depression of the repeat key I10. Such duplicator mechanism is best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, and comprises a mechanism, which, on

alternate cycles of operation of the platen, causes' the" printing device feed clutch 6I to become active for one cycle of operation. I

, The-duplicator mechanism includes a rotor or ratchet 'I 90,jrotatably mounted on a suitable shaft I9I carried by the frame I0. The periphery of the duplicator rotor is provided with alternately disposed shallow and deep recesses I93 and I94, arranged to be successively engaged by a pin I95 carried by a lever or pawl I96 pivotally connected to an arm I9'I which'is drivingly secured I'll fed on the preceding cycle of operation.

next cycle of operation of the platen, however,

tothe rock shaft 85, to which the platen operating arms 84, heretofore mentioned, are also secured. Thus, for each movement of the platen, due to the operation of the repeat key I'I0, the rotor will be advanced from one recess to another. A suitable detent pawl I86 is provided to retainthe rotor in its advanced position;

As the pin I drops into a deep notch I94 it permits thenose of thepawl I96 to engage a bell crank I81 and rock it about its pivot shaft I'9I. The bell crank I8! is connected to the clutch lever I5I by atsuitable link I98, so that as the bellcrank is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 5) the clutch lever I5I is rocked in a clockwise direction, thereby rocking such lever about'its pivot Shaft I54 and rendering clutch 6I active.

When the duplicator mechanism is rendered active, as will be hereinafter described, and the repeat key depressed, a printing device will be fed whenever the pin I95 enters a deep notch in the rotor I90. However, on the following cycle of operation the pin I95 will engage a shallow. notch I93 and the pawl I96 will not drop a distancersufiicient to engage the bell crank I 81.

Thereby, on suchcycle of operation, the clutch 6|, together with the printing device feed mechanism, will remain inactive and a duplicate impression will be made from the printing device The a deep notch I94 will be engagedby the pin and thebell'crank rocked, causing the clutch 6I to become active and next succeeding printing device advanced to the printing position.

Obviously, the mechanism may be operated to cause triplicate or quadruplicate impressions to be made if desired. This is accomplished by replacing the rotor shown in Fig. 5, with a rotor having two or three shallow notches following 7 each'deep notch, thus providing a triplicating or quadruplicating' mechanism. a For convenience, the rotor I90 is retainedin position on the shaft I9 I by a set screw J88, henceit mayreadilybe removed to substitute-a different rotor.

.As heretofore mentioned, the duplicator mechanism is arranged to be renderedactive or inactive, as desired by the operator. For this purpose the shaft I9I is rotatably mounted in the frame l0 and is provided, adjacent the rotor, with a cam 200. I Consequent upon the shaft being rotated degrees, this cam contacts the pin I95,'raising it out of contact with the rotor, thereby preventing the operation of the bell crank I81, whereupon the spring I36, (Fig. 5) retains the clutch lever I5I- in its normal position, and the clutch 6I- remains inactive.

As shown in Fig. 5, a clutch-like formation I66 on the hub of the lever I5I permits the operation of this clutch lever by the bell crank in the duplicator mechanism without affecting the po-v sition of the other .clutchlevers.

The pin- I65 which coacts with this clutch formation provides thedriving connectionto enable the rocking of I notches 204, either one of which may engage a 7 pin 205 carried by the frame I0. A suitablecom pression spring 206, encircling the shaft, serves to maintain the flange of the sleeve 203 in contact with the inner face of the frame member I0. When it is desired to render the duplicator idle, the operator merely grasps a knob 201 secured to the outer end of the sleeve 203, shoves it inwardly and then rotates it 180 degrees, whereupon, when the knob is released, the opposite notch 204 will engage the pin 205. The shaft having been turned 180 degrees, the cam 200' will have been moved into engagement with I the duplicator pin I95, thereby rendering the duplicator ineffective.

I claim: V 1. Ina printing machine, a frame, a magae zine extending upwardly from said frame and adapted to receive a plurality of individual print ing devices, aguideway extending from beneath said. magazine across the frame, means to in-- termittently feed printing devices one at a time from said magazine along saidguideway into a printing position, a pair of arms carried by said magazine spaced above and extending parallel with said guideway, a platen mounted on said .arms and adapted to coact with the device in printing position and means to operate said feeding mechanism and said platen.

2. In a printing machine, a frame, a magazine extending upwardly from said frame and adapted to receive a plurality of individual printing devices;-a guideway. extending from beneath said magazine'across the frame means to interm-it-.

said guide'vvay, ways carried by said arms,a roller platen mounted for reciprocation on said ways to coact with the device. in p'rinting'positionand power operated means to operate said feeding mechanismand said platen.

3. In a printing machine, the combination with V a hollow substai'itially rectangular framefhaving a top wall, togetherw'ith depending sideand end port or "the machine, a guideway in the top wall Z walls extending substantially to the plane of sup.-

of saidframe, a magazine adaptedt'o reta'in fa plurality 'of printing devices in a Is'tackedrelationship one above the other, means toprogress printing devices one a'ta time from the inaga- A 'zine into a printing position, a platen, means to cause said platen to coact with the printing devices when they are in printing position, power mechanism to operate both the feeding means and the platen operating means, said power means including an electric motor carried by said frame within the confines of said walls, and a gear reduction unit interposed between said motor and both of said means.

4. In a printing machine, the combination with a hollow substantially rectangular frame having a top wall, together with depending side and end walls, a guideway in the top wall of said frame and extending substantially from one end wall to the other end wall, a magazine extending upwardly from said top Wall and adapted to retain a plurality of printing devices in a stacked relationship above one end of said guideway, a second magazine extending downwardly from said top wall and adapted to receive printing devices from said guideway, means to progress printing devices intermittently and one at a time from the first magazine along said guideway into a printing position between said magazines and thence into the second named magazine, a pair of stationary arms carried by the first-named magazine and extending outwardly parallel with and spaced above said guideway, a roller platen mounted on said arms for movement along said guidcway, means to move said platen and cause it to coact with the printing devices when they are in printing position, power mechanism to operate both the feeding means and the platen operating means, said power means including an electric motor carried by said frame within the confines of said Walls, and a gear reduction unit interposed between the said motor and both of said means.

5. In a series printing machine, means to feed individual printing devices one at a time to printing position, a platen, means to cause the platen to cooperate with each printing device when such device is in printing position to make an impression therefrom, driving mechanism for said means including a power shaft, a clutch on said shaft adapted to drive the feeding means, a second clutch on said shaft to operate the platen, means to operate said clutches, and means whereby said operating means may cause the clutches to become active and their respective mechanisms to function in repeated cycles of operation or to cause the clutches to be operative for one complete cycle of operation only.

6. In a series printing machine, means to feed individual printing devices one at a time to printing position, a platen, means to cause the platen to cooperate with each printing device to make an impression therefrom, driving mechanism for said means, including a power shaft, a clutch on said shaft adapted to drive the feeding means, a second clutch on said shaft to operate the platen, means to operate said clutches, a motor, a third clutch between the motor and said power shaft, and means whereby said third clutch is rendered operative when the first named clutches are active.

'7. In a series printing machine, means to feed individual printing devices one at a time to printing position, a platen, means to cause the platen to cooperate with each printing device when such device is in printing position to make an impression therefrom, an electric motor, a power shaft, three clutches carried by said power shaft, two of said clutches having their driving members connected to the feeding and platen operating mechanisms respectively and having their driven members connected to said shaft, the other clutch having its driving member connected to said shaft and having its driven member frictionally connected to the motor, and means to control said clutches.

8. In a series printing machine, means to feed individual printing devices one at a time to printing position, a platen, means to cause the platen to cooperate with each printing device when such device is in printing position to make an impression therefrom, an electric motor, a speed reduction unit having a driven shaft connected with said motor and a driving shaft, a power shaft in substantial alignment with said drivng shaft, three clutches carried by said power shaft, two of said clutches having their drivng members connected to the feeding and platen operating mechanisms respectively and having their driven members connected to said shaft, the other clutch having its driving member connected to said shaft and having its driven memer frictionally connected, the driving shaft of said speed reducing mechanism, and manually operable means to control said clutches.

9. In a series printing machine, the combination of power means for feeding printing devices in succession to printing position, power means for printing from said devices while in printing position, a manual key for controlling the feeding means, a second manual key for controlling the printing means, and a third manual key, the operation of which actuates both of. the keys heretofore mentioned.

10. A machine according to claim 7, in which the clutch control mechanism comprises three keys, means whereby the operation of one key operates the other two keys, said last-named keys each being arranged to be operated independent of the other keys.

11. A printing machine having means to feed individual printing devices one at a time to printing position, a platen adapted to make an impression from the device in printing position, platen operating means, a driving shaft, a motor, means to selectively couple said motor with the driving shaft, means to selectively couple the driving shaft with the feeding means, means to selectively couple the driving shaft with the p-iaten operating means, manually operable keys to control said coupling means, one of said keys being connected to render the first and secondnamed coupling means effective, another of said keys being connected to render the first and third-named coupling means effective, and a third key being connected to render all three coupling means effective.

12. A printing machine having means to feed individual printing devices one at a time to printing position, a platen and means to operate the platen to make an impression of the printing device in printing position, a motor, a clutch between the motor and the feeding mechanism, av clutch between the motor and the platen operating means, manually operable members to render respective clutches active independently of each other for continued cycles of operation, and means to cause one of said members to operate the clutch of the other member on predetermined or alternate cycles of operation.

13. In a series printing machine, means to feed printing devices one at a time to a printing position, a platen adapted to make an impression from a printing device when such device is in printing position, a power shaft, a single revolution clutch the feeding means, a clutch between the drive feed printing devices one at a time to printing position, a platen adapted to make an impresn from a printing device in printin 'rposition,

'ng mechanism for said means including a wer shaft, a single revolution clutch on said adapted to drive the feeding means, a :eeond single revolution clutch on said shaft to operate the platen, a motor, a single revolution clutch between the motor and the 'power shaft,'a manually operable key to render the motor and nte'n clutches active, a second manually operable key torender the motor and feeding clutches active and a third manually operable key. to operate the first two named keys, and fectively operablemeans to enable the actuaton of the first key to render all three clutches active on alternate rotations of the platen clutch and, thereby produce duplicate impressions from each printing,device fed.

' 15 .A printing'machine having means to feed printing devices one at a' time to printing position, a platen adapted, to make an impression of a printing device in printing position, a motor, a drive shaft, a clutch between the motor and said drive shaft, a clutch between the drive'shaft and shaft and the platen, a rock shaft, three levers mounted on said rock shaft and arranged to render respective clutches active consequent upon their movement about the axis of the rock shaft, three manually operable keys, one of said keys being connected to operate the platen clutch lever and the motor clutch lever, another of said keys being connected to operate the motor clutch lever and'the feed clutch'lever, and the third key being connected to operate the motor clutch and both of the other keys.

16. 'A printing machine having means to feed printing devices one at a time to printing position, a platen adapted: to make an impression of,

a printing device in printing position, a motor,

a drive, shaft, a clutch between the motor and said drive shaft, a clutch between the'drive shaft and'the feeding means, a clutch between the drive shaft and the platen, a rock shaft, three levers mounted, on said rock shaft and arranged to render respective clutchesactive consequent upon their movement about the axis of the rock shaft,

three manually operable keys, one of said keys being connected to operate the platen clutch lever and the motor clutch lever, another of said keys being connected to operate the motor clutch lever and the feed clutch lever, and the third key being connected to operate both of the other keys, a duplicator mechanism adapted to be actuated consequent upon each operation of the platen and a connection between the duplicator mechanism and the feed clutch lever adapted to operate the,

feed clutch lever on'alternate cycles of opera tion of the platen.

1']. In a printing machine, the combination of a hollow frame, made of a top Wall and side skirts and having its greatest dimension horizontaL'a magazine adapted to receive a plurality of individual printing devices, a guideway in said frame,

a platen over said guideway, means to feed printing devices one at a time along said guideway into printing position, means to cause the platen to make an impression from each printing device Y when it is in the printing position, a motor mount-i ed within said frame adjacent the top wall there-: 7

of, a power shaft within the frame, means within the frame connecting said motor with the power shaft including, a gearreduction unit, and means within the frame connecting said power shaft:

with the feeding means and the platen operating means. 7 I

18. A printing machine having means to feed individual'printing devices one at a time to printing position, a platen adapted to make an impression of aprinting device in printing position, a motor, a clutch between the motorand the feeding mechanism, a clutch between the motor'and the platen operating means, 'two manually operablekeys one associated with one clutch and the other withthe other clutch, to render each respective clutch active independentof the other clutch, a manually operable member to render both clutchesjoperative simultaneously, a duplicator mechanismincluding a notched disc, means adapted to advance such disc notch-by-notch consequent upon the operation of the platen, and

means. adapted to be rendered active bypredetermined notches to render the first-named clutch active for one cycle of operation of the platen and independent of its respective key.

19. In a series printing-machine, the combination of a stationary frame, comprising a pair of arms spaced'apart to provide a magazine between them for the storage of a series of printing devices, one above the other, a carriage reciprocable on the arms, a platen carried by the carriage, and means tosupport a printing device in a position for coaction by, the platen.

CARL J. HUEBER. 

